The case of a 15-year-old schoolboy in Lieksa convicted of defamation of his teacher is to be appealed.
The boy was sentenced by Nurmes District Court last month to pay a fine of EUR 90 and monetary damages for uploading a video of a teacher performing at a First of May celebration onto the internet video sharing site YouTube. The clip included a text calling the teacher's sanity into question.
The defendant's lawyer Tatu Henriksson announced on Tuesday that the client is appealing the conviction to the Court of Appeals of East Finland.
In addition to the fine, the lower court ordered the boy to pay damages of EUR 800 for psychological pain and suffering, and to pay the teacher's court costs of more than EUR 2,000.
The schoolboy continues to insist that his prank did not amount to criminal defamation.
The prosecutor in the video case, Osmo Manninen, feels that the court's decision follows the lines of the indictment.
However, as the defendant is appealing the case, Manninen is now considering submitting a counter-appeal.
